GROWTH ASSESSMENT
Growth assessment is involves measuring specific anthropometric parameters and comparing them to established growth standards.
Basic Growth Assessment:
- Health workers measure a child’s weight and length (or height).
- These measurements are then compared to growth standards.
- The goal is to determine whether the child is growing within expected norms or if there are any growth-related concerns that need attention.
Steps for Successful Growth Assessment and Counseling:
- Capacitate Health Workers: Training health workers to accurately measure children under 5 years old is essential.
- Evaluate Measurements: Health workers assess the child’s measurements and plot them on growth charts.
- Interaction with Caretaker: Engaging with the child’s mother or caretaker is crucial for improving the child’s growth.
- The World Health Organization (WHO) provides a simple tool with 10 steps for successful growth assessment and counseling.
Anthropometric Parameters:
- Weight: Measured in kilograms.
- Height (or Length): Measured in meters.
- Head Circumference: Relevant for infants.
- Chest Circumference: Also considered in some cases.
- Weight-for-Length and Body Mass Index (BMI): Used to assess nutritional status.
Remember that growth assessment is not only about physical measurements; it also plays a vital role in overall child health and well-being. Health care providers use growth assessment to identify any deviations from the expected growth trajectory and provide appropriate interventions
Steps to Creating a Growth Assessment that Works
- 1. Align test questions to content standards …
- 2. Use a vertical scale of measurement …
- 3. Match question difficulty level to student ability …
- 4. Use a deep pool of questions to increase validity …
- 5. Ensure fairness through empirical bias and sensitivity reviews …
- 6. Define the purpose of the assessment to determine the accuracy required …
- 7. Providing context for growth …